Manufacture and use of textile threads



Patented Aug. 3,, 1937 William Whitehead, Cumberland, Mammal-to Celaneae'Corporation of America, a corpora tion of Delaware No Drawing. .Appiication February 3, 1936.

Serial No. 62,166

27 Claims. (Cl. 117-21) This invention relates to the manufacture of crepe threads from filaments of cellulose acetate or other organic derivatives of cellulose and to the production of fabrics therefrom.

a This application is a continuation-in-part of my applications Ser. No. 703,427 filed Dec.2l, 1933 and S. No. 746,135 filed September 29, 1934.

Fabrics exhibiting crepe effects have long been obtained by employing in their construction highly'twisted yarns of natural silk in the gummed state, the crepe effects appearing mainly when fabrics so formed are subjected to an aqueous scouring treatment. The fabrics obtained by this process are. highly valued on account of their [5 pleasing appearance and handle. The production of crepe fabrics in an analogous manner by the use of crepe threads of cellulose acetate has, however, been accompanied by difficulties. Generally, the crepe efiect obtained by. simply apply- 20 ing to a cellulose acetate thread a'twist of the order of that commonly employed in connection with natural silk, weaving the twisted threads into a fabric and scouring the latter, is very unsubstantial and not comparable with that obtained with natural silk or regenerated cellulose artificial silk. In accordance with the present invention highly twisted crepe threads of organic derivative of cellulose filaments are produced from threads of 30 filaments of organic derivative of cellulose by crepe twisting in a single stage and during the insertion of the crepe twist steamingthe threads, moisture preferably being present; 1. e. the steam is applied to the travelling thread over at least 35 a portion of that part of its track in which twisting is actually taking place. Good results may be obtained'by steaming at above 95C. Steam temperatures in the neighborhood of 100 C., are especially to be recommended. The steam pref- 40 erably contains a substantial amount of moisture although good results may be obtained with dry steam. 1 i

This invention is of especial value and will be more particularly described in connection with 45 theproduction' of crepe threads of filaments of cellulose acetate.

.i In this way it has been found possible to produce crepe threads which yield fabrics exhibiting remarkably good-crepe effects. ,Moreover, 50 by this new process cellulose acetate crepe threads may be producedwhich have an average strength very much greater than that of'celiulose acetate crepe threads produced by a simple twisting operation without the steam treatment 55 during twisting. Further, apart from the great advantage of a stronger resultant thread, the twisting operation itself is greatly facilltat'e'd in thattwisting may satisfactorily be accomplished under conditions of twist and spindle speed which in the absence of thesteaming wouldgive. rise 5 to frequent thread breakage and render impossible the insertion of the desired twist or at least result in a very weak and useless thread. p

The initial thread may already be twisted to a small degree, for example up to 10 turns per' 0 inch, ve. g. 2-5 turns per inch, or .to such other small degree as is commonly applied lnthe production of cellulose acetate threads by dry spinning cellulose acetate. solutions and windingfand twisting the resultant filaments on a cap-twist- 1 ing device or other twisting andlorwinding device.

The threads may consist of substantially continuous filaments of cellulose acetate or they may contain discontinuous filaments of cellulose ace tate, the length of which may vary within wide limits. For example the threads may be those spun from a mass of discontinuousfilaments or those prepared in the mannerdescribed in British patent specifications Nos..424,683, 424,752,

424,830 and 424,879. p g

If desired, the filaments of the threads may contain water-insoluble compounds, whether compounds of. pigment-like character in such form as materially to modify the lustre offthe 3o filaments (e. g. barium sulphate or titanium dioxide), Qrloading metal compounds, for example tin compounds.

In carrying out the new Process, twisting mas be eifected on a device of the kind in which the thread is drawn off over the end of a rotating packagej through a guide. fixed substantially in line with the axis of rotation of the package and is thereafter ,wound on a bobbin or the like, the

thread being passed onits way from the guide a r to the bobbin, throughsteam under conditions such that moisture is present. In this way'the thread is subjected to'the' action of the "steam and moisture during the actual application of twist.

The twisting spindle, the guide fixed in line with the axis of thespindle, and the steamin device should be so arranged that the twist resulting from the rotation fof the package is 'at least partly inserted while the-thread isunder the influence of steam. For example, i when twisting as the thread is drawn off over the end of a rotating .package, if the freedom of the thread to rotate within the balloon guide or other 1 guide preceding or forming part of the steaming tageous to arrange that the. path oi, the thread after leaving the balloon guide and through the steaming device, is substantially in line with the axis 01 the twisting spindle. j r

0n the other hand, any other suitable crepe twisting device may be employed. For. example, a ring twister may be used for the crepe twisting oi thread consisting of discontinuous cellulose 7 acetate filaments. In the case oi a ring twister,

where twisting is eii'ected as the thread is wound v on to a rotating package, the thread passing g as lowingjthe thread topass through'a suitable chamber through steam onits way from the let-oil" device to the twisting spindle, a change 01 direction at the point wherethe thread leaves the steaming device is 0! lessimportance as the' thread remains. under the influence oi the steam for a short time after leaving the steaming device.

I f desired,'the above-mentioned twisting devices in which the thread is drawn 01! over the end oi'a rotating package, may be provided with a devicewhich restricts the ballooning oi the thread or the tendency oi twist torungback'to the package. As examples of such devices'may be mentioned fiyersand'the floating ring device described in British Patent No. 304,806 of British Celanese Limited'and others. The latter device is of particular value when the thread to be twisted is oi very low twist, for example oi less thanaboutlturnperinch' Steaming may'eonveniently be eil'ected by alv supplied with steam imder such conditions that moisture is present.

Thus, s; vertical twisting spindle of the type in which thread is drawn oii' upwardly over the end of a rotating package through a guide substantially in line with the axis oi the spindle, may be provided with a small chamber situated vertically above the spindle. The chamber is provided with small-holes, top and bottom, topermit passage of the thread, and also with a steam inlet. If desired, a single steam chamber may be arranged to serve a number of spindles, being provided with inlet'and outlet holes for the thread oi-each spindle. Such an apparatus may conveniently 1 consist oi ahorizontal pipe mounted over a row oi spindles and provided with eyes oi porcelain.

steel, orother suitable material at appropriate points on top and bottom for the entrance and exit of the 'Ihediameter of the',plpe is, sufllcient to afiord the thread the reqi'zisitelengiih .oitravel in the steam. Steam may be admitted to the-pipe atonepoint orjat more than one point'as may be necessary according to the length oi the pipee o mure suiilciently uniiorm conditions of steaming'asbetween the from the difi'erent spindles.

I at the mint atwhichthe thread from the twistenters the steaming device, it is ade arrange a .iree escape, oI' steam ontothethreadas itisdrawn oiiiromthespindie. A shield, for example inthe form of a funnel. may,ii desired, be fitted around thethread minte 8 device in order to Another method of ensuring the presence of moisture is to wet the thread with water; for ex: ample the bobbins of thread may be wetted before thetwisting operation or better, water may beapplied to the, thread, by means of a wick or other device, aiter the thread leaves the spindle and prior to its entering the steaming device.

The water may contain a substance which facilitates wetting of the thread by water.

Steam at about atmospheric pressure, e. g., slightly above atmosphericv pressure, is conveniently employed. If desired, however,the steaming maybe effected with steam at any desired super-atmospheric pressures, e. g.,steam at 10-25 lbs. persquare inch. i

A steaming treatment of relatively short duration such as may be secured by passing the yarn at a speed of; from 2 to 10 metres per' minute through 3" of steam has beeniound to give'satisiactory results. Lengthier treatments: may, however, be employed, for example the yarn may be passed at-the said speeds through 6 .to 12" or moreoi'steam. I I The cellulose acetate filaments of the threads very readily undergo stretching when the threads are twisted under the infiuenceof thesteam and moisture. Theamount of stretch may be measured by-comparing the original thread denier with the final thread denier (after untwisting). Ithas been ioundgthat-whena cellulose acetate thread is crepe twisted by the process involving steaming during twisting in one operation so as to produce a crepe thread oi'good strength and creping properties, the denier of theresultitnt thread is, in general, owing to imparted stretch, less and even substantially less than if the thread is simply crepe twisted without the steam treatment. The stretch imparted to the filamentsof they threads during the twisting operation may for example be of the order oi 5-25% of their original length, andparticularly 10-20%; The

degree or stretchingof the filaments oi the thread.

may be such that the final denier oi the crepe twisted thread is not much in excess of oris even the same or less than the denier oi the thread a prior to twisting. For example the stretch may be such that the denieroi the crepe twisted thread lsirom'95 to 115%, particularly to oi that'of the thread before crepe twisting, especially in the case oi'threads having an original denier of; 150 or less. Good crepe however be-obtainedwhen the still greater, ior'example up to %01' that, of the thread before twisting when threadsha adenier about 200 are employed.

The degree oi twist applied in accordance with the newprocess may vary within wide limits.- A feature oi the process is that it enables a high degree of twist to be applied .without such a great weakening otthe threadas is almost invariably experienced when cellulose. acetate crepe produced having very pronounced crepe effects.

The crepe figure can be regulated according to requirements. The degree of twist desirable'in any particular case depends upon the denier of the thread. For example with threads. of .165

denier twist of about 70 to 75 turns per inch is desirable, and with threads-of 115 denier twist of about 85 to 90 turns per inch. With these indications it is a simple matter to determine, the desirable twists for threads of other deniers. Thedenier numbers given are those of the thread after crepe twisting. v

As indicated above, the new process enables highly twisted cellulose'acetate threads of high creping power to be produced. In these new threads the filaments are extremely closely .packed, a feature :to which their good creping power may be attributed. For example, the ,filaments may be so closely packed that the ap parent specific gravity of the thread asdetermined from the diameter and denier ismore than 85%, e. g. 85 to 90% of the actual specific gravity of the filaments, and that distortion of the crosssection of at least some of the filaments has occurred during the process of twisting. The filaments of the thread, however, are not stuck together and can be separated upon untwisting.

Moreover, the new cellulose acetate crepe threads are'smooth and cylindrical as opposed to the rough feel and helical form of avcelluloseacetate thread or a viscose thread which hasbeen crepe twisted in the ordinary way. Further, in comparison with these latter threads, the smooth cylindrical cellulose acetate crepe threads exhibit much less tendency to snarl or, kink. These characteristics distinguish the. new cellulose acetate crepe threads. l 7

While the new process enables production of threads which yield satisfactory crepe effects without a special treatment, otherthan the twisting and steaming treatment characteristic of the process, other devices and treatment may, if desired, be employed further to improve the propv erties of the crepe threads and/or fabrics produced therefrom. For example, the crepe threads may be sized at any suitable stage of their manufacture, for example in thecourse of winding on to the bobbin from which twisting is effected. In the connection, particular mention may be made of sizing materials selected in accordance with the considerations laid down in British patent specification No. 348,589. For example a casein, egg-albumen, or other size which is not very readily removed by aqueous treatments may be employed. Anothersize which may be employed is a drying oil, if vdesired onewhich has been partially oxidized, e. g. boiled or blown linseed oil. I

The highly twisted crepe threads may be incorporated in the fabrics in various ways, for

example the weft alone may be wholly or partially composedof such threads or the warp may also contain them. Valuable fabrics may be produced by employing warp threads of .relatively low twist and in the weft both crepe threads having a left-hand twist and crepe threads having a righthand twist, pairs of threads of left-handtwist alternating with pairs of,,threads of right-fhand twist. i

If desired the cellulose acetate crepethreads may be associated in the. fabricswith highly twisted crepe threads of other materials, e. g. of natural silk or regenerated cellulose or produced by other processes. Where the fabrics contain threads of low twist these may wholly be of cellulose acetate or wholly or in part of other materials, e. g. natural lose.

silk. or regenerated cellu- Fabrics containing highly twisted crepe threads prepared in accordance with the invention 'may' subsequently be given a hot aqueous treatment, for example in the manner-commonly adopted in connection with fabrics comprising highly twisted yarns of natural silk.) Enhanced crepe effects may be obtained by means ofhot aqueous treatments at or near the boiling point. A mportant characteristic of fabrics exhibiting crepe effects produced in accordance with .this

invention is that unlike crepe fabrics heretofore produced, they do'not shrink substantially when washed or otherwise treated with aqueous liquids, nor do they tend to develop spots when subjected locally (such as'by rain) to aqueous liquids.

Therefore garments or other articles made of such fabric may be laundered in the ordinaryqway without recourse to dry cleaning. I

.While this invention has been described in particular connection with cellulose acetate, it is applicable for use with yarns or threads made of other organic derivative of cellulose, such as cellulose formate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate-propionate or other organic esters of cellulose, or cellulose ethers such as ethyl cellulose or benzyl cellulose. v I

It is to be understood that the foregoing-detailed description is merely given by way of illustrationand. many alterations may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of invention. r

Having now particularly described and ascertained in the nature of my said invention and in what .manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 'I claim is:-

1. Process for the production of'highly'twisted while the threads are subjected to the action of V the steam.

3. Process for the production of highly twisted crepe threads of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose,;which comprises passing threads of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose through a chamber maintained full of steam under conditions such that moisture is present, and cope twisting the threads in a single stage while the threads are being steamed. j

4, Process for the production of highly twisted crepe threads of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose, which comprises crepe twisting threads of filaments of an'organic derivativeof cellulose in a single stage and during the insertion of thecrepe twist steaming the threads under conditions'such that'moisture is present.

5. Process for the production of highly twistedi crepe "threads'of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose which comprises steaming threads of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose with steamatabove 95 C. under conditions such that moisture is present, andcrepe twisting the threads in'a single stage whileithe threads are being steamed. I i a 4 the aetionoi'the I 6. Process tor-the poduction of highly twisted crepe threads of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises steaming of cellulose acetate filaments and crepe twisting the threads ina single stage while the threads are subjected to 7. Process torthe of highly twisted crepe threadso! cellulose acetate which eosnprises'steamingthreadsof cellulose acetatev filaments 'imder'eonditiom such that moisture is present-md'crepe twistingthe threads ina' single stagewhile the 8. Process in the production or highlyJwisted crepe threads of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises passingthreads of cellulose acetatefilamentsthroiuh a chamber-maintained iull oi steam under conditions such thatmoisture is present, and twisting the threads in" a single stage while thethreads are being steamed.

0. Process for the production or highly twisted crepe tumor cellulose acetate'filaments. hues comprises crepe twisting threads of cellulose acetate filaments in'asing'le, stage and during'the insertion oi the crepe twist steaming the threads under conditions such that'moisture is present.

' 10. Process 'ior the-production oihighly twisted pothre ads oi cellulose acetate filaments. which comprises steaming threads 'oi'cellulose acetate filaments with steam at above 95? C.'under-.conditions such thatmoisture is present, and crepe threads in a single stase while the 11. Process iorfthe production of highly twisted crepe threads of cellulose acetate filaments,

which comprises steaming or cellulose acetate filaments with steamat substantially 100 C. under conditions such thst moisture is present, and crepe twisting the threads in .a single 12. Process for the production oi highly twisted crepe threads oi cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises steaming threads oi'cellulose acetate filaments under conditions such that moisture 'is presentand crepe twisting the threa'd's'in a single stagewhilethethradsarebeingsteamedthe filaments of the threads being stretched from 5 to 25% of their original length while the twist is a being inserted.

sm mmn crummy twisted crepe threads of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises steaming threads of cellulose acetate filaments under, conditions such that moisture is :present sndcrepe twistinglthe'threads inasingle stage while the threads are being steamed, the filaments oi the threads being stretched while the twist isbeing inserted so that the denier of the crepe twisted threads ill-9 6% to 125% of that of the threads before crepe twisting.

i4. Processiorthcfladuction oihighly twisted crepethreadsoi'celiulcsjeacetatefilaments, which tat'efilaments inasinglestagebydrawingthem oirovertheendoi'arotatingpackageandsteamingthethreads'bypassingthemthroughachamher maintained full of steam under conditions such that moisture is present, so that twisting is inserted while the threads are passing through the steam chamber 15. Process for the psoductionsoi highly twisted crepe threads 01 cellulose acetate. filaments, which bomprisescrepe twisting threads oi cellulose acetate filaments in a as they sre'wound aosaess onto' a rotating package and -steaming J the threads by passing them through a chamber "maintained full oi steam. under'conditions such that moisture is present, so that twist is inserted while the thread is being steamed.

10; Process for the production oi highly twis crepe threads oi cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises crepe twisting threads of cellulose acetate filaments in a single stage by drawing them ofiover the ends! a rotating package-and-steam ingthethreads by passingtherhthroughachamber.maintained'iull1ot steam at substantially V 100? C. under'conditions such that moisture is present, so that twist is inserted while the threads are passing through the steam chamber.

17. Process for the production of highly'twisted crepe threads of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises crepe twisting threads 0; cellulose acetate filamentsin a simle stages-s they are wound on to a rotating package, and steaming the threads by passing them through a chamber maintained lull-oi steam atsubstantially 100 E2. under conditions such that moisture is present, so that twist is inserted while the thread is being @18. Process-tor the productionot highly twisted crepe threads oi celluloseacetate filaments, which comprises steaming threads of cellulose acetate filaments under conditions such: that moisture is present and crepe twisting the threads in a single stage while the'threads are being steamed, there being applied a minimum'crepe twist determined according to the denier of the crepe threads alter twisting said minimum; being turns per inch for crepe threads of 165 denier or turns per inch for crepe threadsoi' 115 denier.-

l9. Highlytwistedcrepe threads'oi'filaments oi a an organic derivative of cellulose, said filaments being so closely packed that the threads have an apparentspecific gravity of above 85%oi the actual specific gravity oi the filaments;

, 20. Highly twisted crepe'threads' of cellulose acetate filaments, said filaments being so closely packed that the threads have an apparent specific gravity of above 85% of the actual specific gravity of the filaments.

21. Highly twisted crepe threads of cellulose acetate filaments. said filaments'being so closely packed that thethreads have an apparent specific gravity of 85% to of theactual specific gravity of the filaments; T

22. A'smooth, cylindrical, highly twisted crepe thread of filaments or anorganic derivative 01' cellulose, in which the'filaments are sofclosely packed that the apparent specific gravity of the thread is more than 85% 01' the actual specific gravity of the filaments. i 1 v r 23. A smooth, cylindrical." highly twistedcrepe' thread of cellulose acetate filaments, iii-which the'filaments are so closely packed that the apparent specific gravity oi the thread is more than 05% of the actual specific gravity oithe filaments; i;

'24. A smooth, cylindrical, highly twisted-crepe thread oi'cellulose acetate filaments, in which the filaments are so'closelypacked that the apparent specific gravity oi the thread is 85 to 90% of the actual specific gravity oi the filaments;

25. A- smooth, cylindrical, highly twisted crepe thread oiceilulose acetate'filaments, in which the filaments 'aregaclosely packed that the appar- Q ent specific gravity oi thethreadflis more than 85% of the actual specific gravity of the filaments, said thread having a minimum twist therein deaoaabaa 5 termined according to the denier 01' the crepe twisted thread, said minimum being '70 turns per inch for a crepe thread of 165 denier or 85 turns per inch for a crepe thread of 115 denier.

26. A highly twisted crepe thread of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose, said fl1a-' 

